Chapter 2: Rule 2
When the carriage arrived in front of the Hogwarts castle there was a stern looking woman pacing at the bottom of the steps.
"Kira Pryde!" She shouted looking among the students like she knew every students' face.
"Why is McGonagall is looking for you?" Emily turned to ask me. I shrugged my shoulders.
"Oh there you are. Why weren't with the other incoming first years?" Professor McGonagall asked when she approached me. I won't lie she kind of scared me; she had that 'don't mess with me look'. Yet, there was still a sense of admiration.
"Sorry? I wasn't aware that I was suppose to travel with the first years." I replied. Truthfully I did get a notice, but what seventh year wants to ride in a boat with a bunch of first years? I'm already a transfer student isn't that bad enough?
"Yes, very well then come along the other first years are waiting." Professor McGonagall said leading the way.
"Hey Pryde, you'll fit in with the rest of the first years." I heard someone shout behind me and I was pretty sure it was Sirius. As I followed McGonagall I flicked him off without turning around.
McGonagall left me in a room filled with the other first years claiming that she had other business to attend to.
"So, what's your name?" A first year asked leaning against the wall next to me trying to look cool. It wasn't working. I stared blankly at him as his friends were snickering. May be if I was a first year as well and not six years older I could like him…oh god I'm old. He had the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen I swear I would be totally fine with being a cougar just for him. "Do you want to ride my broomstick later?" Like I haven't heard that one before. I could feel it, the look of 'you're-such-a-pervert' was on my face.
"First years don't have broomsticks." I replied before turning away from him. His eyes weren't that pretty.
"She wants me." I heard him say to his friend. I couldn't help but to smile to myself, at least he had guts.
Shortly afterwards McGonagall came back telling us that that rest of the school was ready for us. The Great Hall was completely different from the other schools. There were four long tables each with a different banner hanging above it with some sort of crest. The floating candles added more stars to the enchanted ceiling. May be this place is different. May be…Kira what are you saying?! Rule number 2: The schools are all the same. The people are all the same. It always seems like something is different. But there never is. I thought to myself. I shook my head to help clear it. There is no such thing as a different school. Standing before the school I could already see the same cliques. And since they're people, they're all going to betray each other.
"Before we have the first years sorted, it is my greatest pleasure to include a transfer seventh year. Please welcome Kira Pryde." Professor McGonagall said as she gestured for me to sit down on the stool with a rather tattered hat.
"Kira Pryde." I heard a voice say as if it knew more than it was willing to share. "Quite courageous, smart, hmm a great desire to prove yourself and for power. Just like your father."
"You don't know my father. He went to school in America." I responded back. This stupid hat had no reason to talk about my father.
"No offense was intended I merely meant your father is a powerful and terrible man. Your mother on the other hand was quite the opposite. You possess traits in both your parents." The hat said as he continued to decide where to place me.
"Yeah, that's called biology. You get traits from both your parents. Just like how you got your traits from the sewing machine and spool." This hat was starting to irritate me. How could he call my father a terrible man? He was kindest person ever.
"That is true. So therefore I propose to you an ultimatum: Whose path do you choose to follow: your father's or your mother's? You have the power to choose for yourself. Your grandfather will be watching you closely."
"I choose my own path. I know who I am going to become. The man that you described isn't my father." I said angrily.
"If you say so…GRYFFINDOR! Do good." I heard the hat say before it was lifted off my head. I couldn't shake the words it had said to me. Do good what the hell does that mean? Anyway what does a stupid hat know? I saw Lily and Emily waving at me to join them from the long table with a lion above their table.
"Congratulations on joining the best house." Sirius said patting my shoulder as I sat down next to Lily.
"Yeah because obviously houses mean so much." I said.
"It does. Everyone knows Slytherins all become followers of You-Know-Who, Hufflepuffs are all wonky, Ravenclaws are all snobs, and Gryffindors are all the greatest with the exception being Peter here." Sirius explained gesturing to each of the houses.
"Okay…yeah. Way to generalize and insult your friend." I said. I swear every minute I talk to Sirius my brain turns to mush.
"The hat talked to you for a long time didn't it. What did it say?" Lily asked.
"Oh just how great I am so obviously I had to be in Gryffindor." I replied. I couldn't tell them what the hat told me.
After Professor Dumbledore gave a few announcements food appeared before us.
"What is this?" I asked Lily pointing to some pie.
"It's Shepherd's pie." Lily replied grabbing some.
"I thought dessert comes after."
"It has meat and potatoes. So it wouldn't be much of a dessert." Lily replied clearly amused with me. I laughed. There's no sense in getting embarrassed every time I flub. Since, clearly that's going to be every time.
"It's okay, Riley, moving to a different country is probably difficult. We create stereotypes of them like I thought everyone from America was supposed to be stuck up. And clearly you're not." Remus said smiling at me.
"I think you're thinking of the French." I replied, smiling back at him. Okay, so clearly I'm flirting back at him. I'm not breaking any rules; he's not the playboy.
The rest of the night was spent pleasantly enough. Well, as good as it's ever going to get it seems. Sirius spent it making fun of my ignorance. And I spent it trying to convince myself that Hogwarts was the same as everywhere else.